Lee dazzles, Mariners offense fizzles

The day finally arrived. Cliff Lee was going to start for the Mariners.

He was as expected, unfortunately so was the Mariners’ offense in a 2-0, 12-inning loss to Texas on Friday night at Safeco Field.

Lee ran out to the mound, ground the baseball into his palms and started digging into the mound with his right cleat. He windmilled his million-dollar left arm several times then received a half-standing ovation from the smaller-than-expected crowd. Lee stood on the mound for the first time in 2010, his debut delayed a month because of an irritated abdominal muscle.

Then a nine year old yelled the words Lee has been waiting for since the World Series last year: Play ball!

True to form, Lee spent minimal time in between pitches and maximum time throwing strikes. Of his first 17 pitches, 13 were strikes. The left-hander hit 94 mph on the radar gun while dispatching Elvis Andrus with a strikeout. Professional hitter Michael Young grounded out to shortstop. Then Lee tangled with Josh Hamilton. That dance ended with a menacing curveball from Lee. Hamilton swung and had a better chance of altering the space-time continuum than he did hitting the diving pitch.

Lee’s ambition to throw strike after strike left Texas supplying several foul balls which ran up Lee’s pitch count. Prior to the game Mariners’ manager Don Wakamatsu said Lee would be limited to 90-100 pitches and that’s just where the lefty checked out. Lee threw 92 pitches, 73 of which were his beloved strikes.

It was a showing that all anticipated following Lee’s stunning winter trade to the Mariners. Lee’s cutter and changeup were effective. His curveball filthier than gym clothes in a closed bag. Texas picked up its first hit in the fourth inning. The Rangers only came up with three baserunners and one full count against Lee in his seven shutout innings.

“To give the team a chance and not give up any runs, you have to be happy with that,” Lee said. “I would have rather given up a couple runs and get the win.”

Lee’s one drawback? He can’t hit for power from the left side to top off his pitching dominance.

Twenty-one consecutive Mariners (11-12) were retired by suddenly dominant Texas starter Colby Lewis (4-0). After carrying the Mariners throughout April, Franklin Gutierrez has recently joined up with George Clinton. He’s in an 0-for-11 funk and has struck out seven times in those 11 trips.

Ken Griffey Jr. is still ailing at the plate. The Mariner icon struck out twice and looked very bad in doing so. But in the bottom of the 10th inning, Griffey’s slow bat benefited him. With the Rangers in a shift, Griffey hit a slow roller to where the shortstop would normally be stationed. No one was there. Immediately Eric Byrnes sprinted out of the dugout to run for Griffey who had reached on the infield single.

One person who is heating up is Milton Bradley. He followed Griffey’s hit with a double down the left-field line. The Mariners had runners on second and third and none out against Texas reliever Darren Oliver. The Mariners had the game in a choke-hold, but could not force a tap out.

Texas chose to pitch to Casey Kotchman, who popped out to the shortstop. Adam Moore was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Mike Sweeney, the other veteran designated hitter, arrived at the plate. After some posturing, Texas manager Ron Washington summoned Darren O’Day from the bullpen.

Sweeney swung at the first pitch. It produced a ground ball to shortstop. The dreaded line followed: 6-4-3. The double play left the affable Sweeney walking to the dugout with his head down and holding his helmet high in a threatening manner. The inning epitomized the Mariners’ inept offense.

But the Mariners built another threat in the bottom of the 11th inning. Amazingly, it was more disappointing than the bungled 10th.

Ichiro reached on a single. Terrible communication by the Texas infield led to a bunt hit for Chone Figgins. First and second, no one out. Gutierrez showed bunt. Twice he could not get it down, building a 1-2 hole for himself. He struck out. No one moved on the bases.

Jose Lopez worked a walk. The bases were now loaded for Byrnes who was hitting in Griffey’s spot. The Mariners put the suicide squeeze on. Ichiro sprinted toward the plate from third and Byrnes pulled his bat back. Ichiro was out at the plate, despite the ball being bobbled. Two outs. Byrnes then struck out to end what should have been a game-winning situation.

There was no clarification about Byrnes’ at-bat afterward. The outfielder was on his bicycle and pedaled out of the clubhouse minutes after the game ended. Byrnes rode his bike down the hall and swerved to to avoid a crowd of people that included general manager Jack Zduriencik. Wakamatsu said he would talk to Brynes on Saturday about the failed bunt play.

“I don’t know what happened on that one,” Wakamatsu said.

Texas leadoff hitter Elvis Andrus reach on an infield single in the top of the 12th. Michael Young followed with an infield single supplemented by a Matt Tuiasosopo throwing error which put runners on second and third with none out against Brandon League. League’s second pitch to Josh Hamilton was wild and allowed Andrus to score. Young scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Julio Borbon to give Texas a 2-0 lead.

The two runs sent beleaguered fans to the exits. The departure proved prescient. The Mariners failed to score once again despite being given 12 innings to do so, leaving League the loser and Lee with nothing.

The left-hander unwittingly summed up the current Mariners while trying to be complimentary.

“This team is known for pitching and defense, and tonight was a perfect example of it,” Lee said.